page_title: Land Administration Building
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Land Administration Building / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Executive Building, Brisbane, ca. 1907. The Executive Building was erected by the Queensland Government during the years 1901-05 overlooking what is now Queen's Park. During construction it was known as the New Lands &amp; Survey Offices but towards its completion became known as the Executive Building. The second floor housed the Premier's offices, his Under Secretary, officials of the Public Service Board and the Cabinet Room. On the third floor a large room facing the whole length of George Street was allotted to the Trustees of the Qld. National Art Gallery for the collection of works of art. The building, which later became the Land Administration Building, was entirely faced with stone. Granite was used for the base, course and plinth, with freestone above. It was erected on the site of Brisbane's first electric telegraph office and the former convict settlement's parsonage, later the commissariat officers' quarters. The gardens established adjacent to the building were initially known as the Executive Gardens. On 23 June 1906 a bronze statue of Queen Victoria was unveiled by the Governor. (Infromation taken from: Janet Hogan, Living history of Brisbane, 1982).
context_page_description: Land Administration Building is a heritage-listed former government building at 142 George Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Thomas Pye and built from 1899 to 1905 by Arthur Midson for the Queensland Government. It was also known as the Executive Building or the Old Executive Building. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
  The building was originally occupied by the offices of the Lands and Survey Departments, the Premier of Queensland, the Executive Council, and the Queensland National Art Gallery. It contains a heritage-listed World War I Honour board.
  Since 1995, the building has been used as the hotel of the Treasury Casino.
context_section_description: This four-storeyed masonry government office building was erected between 1901 and 1905. Initially intended as offices for the Lands and Survey Departments, it was finished and occupied in 1905 as the Executive Building, accommodating both the Lands and Survey Departments and offices of the Premier and Executive Council. It is the most prominent Brisbane example of Queensland Government building activity associated with the economic recovery of the late 1890s and with the Federation of Australia.
  In 1898-1899 plans were prepared under the supervision of chief architect Thomas Pye of the Queensland Government Architect's office. Special provisions for the Lands Department included Minister's offices, drafting rooms, photographic and heliographic rooms, and a Land Court. With the inclusion of offices for the Executive Council and Cabinet, a separate entrance in George Street was designed for ministerial access.
  A £2,900 contract for site preparation and foundations was commenced in 1899, and in 1901 the principal construction contract for £141,000 was let to Brisbane builder Arthur Midson.
  The use of expanded metal lathing as a re-enforcement to the concrete floors and ceilings was amongst the earliest application of such technology in Australia, and was a first in Queensland.
  The building was symbolic of Queensland's pride and achievement, and was seen as a showcase for Queensland materials. Granite used as the base course and plinth was obtained from Enoggera and Mount Crosby. Brown freestone from Helidon was used to face the outer walls, and freestone from Yangan near Warwick was used on the colonnade walls. The decorative carving to the facades was completed during 1903-1904. In the north-western elevation an allegorical group representing Queensland mining and agriculture was carved by New South Wales sculptor William Priestly MacIntosh to a design by Thomas Pye. The mantelpieces were constructed of a variety of Queensland timbers (maple, cedar, black bean and silky oak) representing the state's timber resources. Allegorical stained glass highlighted the rural nature of the Queensland economy.
  From 1901, the Queensland National Art Gallery occupied a purpose-designed room the length of the third floor above George Street. In 1930 the art gallery was relocated to the Exhibition Building Concert Hall .
  Both Executive Council and Cabinet met in the building from 1905 until 1971, when new offices were constructed at 100 George Street, known as the Executive Building. Since then this former Executive Building has been known as the Land Administration Building.
  The gas lamps on the pavements at the William and George Street entrances were erected by about 1911. Those delineating the George Street entrance appear to have been moved further apart. They still function, lit by natural gas.
caption: Executive Building, circa 1907
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